Mitt Romney plans to campaign with Rick Santorum

Now that Rick Santorum has dropped out of the race, the general election campaign is finally underway, Mitt Romney said Wednesday — and he expects to hit the trail with his former opponent in coming months.

Romney told Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” he believes the Republican Party will now start to unify under him as the nominee.

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Mitt: ‘We’re on the same page’

“I think Sen. Santorum throughout the campaign has been speaking about issues that we care about very deeply,” Romney said. “So we’re on the same page on those issues, and I think you’ll see us all come together in a very powerful way, but the time for that will happen down the road as we spend more time together, hit the trail together.”

“I expect when I finally become the nominee, I hope that happens soon, that we’ll be campaigning together, we’ll be working together,” he added.

And Romney noted there’s one person who will be critical in bringing the party together, saying that “President Obama is one of the reasons our party will be so united.”

Romney blasted Obama for “his policies that have really been a war on women” and said the president’s emphasis on the Buffett Rule is an attempt “to divert from the failure of his record.” And instead of comparing the race to the 1964 contest of Barry Goldwater and Lyndon Johnson, as Obama has done, Romney said he sees this race as a “watershed election” more in the vein of the 1980 campaign between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Obama, he said, represents a “throwback to the old-style Democrats of the past, big government, welfare state Democrats.”

“Will we remain a free and opportunity-based society, or will we instead be a society driven by large government, taking more and more, spending more and more, and dominating the American life?” Romney said. “I don’t think America wants to become like Europe.”

As for the next step as the presumptive nominee, Romney said he has “no list yet” for vice president, but “that will come soon enough, and we’ll begin sorting through the possibilities.” Romney added that the party has a large number of “extraordinary leaders, including some of those who have run in this last contest with me” that he can consider for the post.

Absolutely. This example is exactly the sort of thing that will help Americans beyond declared Republicans to unify against Obama. Obama can't run on his record anyway, he runs on fictitious issues like contraception, the war on women, race, and a do-nothing Congress. The liberal media has done nothing to enlighten the public about the results of Obama's policies (and false inflation of his numbers available), which gives the GOP a further advantage ahead of the general election. We literally can't afford more of Obama. He's failed us in foreign policy, economic policy and jobs, health policy, energy policy, you name it. Can you imagine what the liberal media would be doing if Bush had Obama's deficit, unemployment, GDP, economic growth, etc? We'd never hear the end of it.

I know the left is going to keep mocking the right even though the left presents no good options, but seriously, they need to look at where we're headed as a country. We are awaiting a debt implosion. Already we've been downgraded. Already Obama has added over $5T in three years, our $15.5T deficit exceeds the entire GDP, and debt per capita exceeds that of Greece. The federal budget increases by 10% automatically each year, since the 1974 Budget Reform Bill allowed it, taking us away from baseline budgeting. This is regardless of revenue, regardless of federal necessity. No wonder the federal government spends $3T annually instead of $2T as in the budget! Even $2T is excessive. There isn't enough money to tax in the entire COUNTRY to make a dent in this deficit. Even taxing at 100% (which would shut down the economy with finality with no money left over to keep businesses going). We need serious reforms such as the GOP presents. And we need them now. Wise Democrats will jump on board if they hope to remain a party with any chance of prominence. Just because liberal media lies and ignores and mocks the truth doesn't make it any less true. We are doomed, and soon, unless we tackle the spending and deficit.

We need serious spending reform including serious program reforms rather than economically-calamitous tax increases, and a return to baseline budgeting in Washington to tackle this problem before it's too late and the debt implodes our country. At which point there will be no benefits to hand out. So far I only see (part of) the GOP willing to make these necessary adjustments. The Dems seem to be happy running off a steep cliff with eyes wide open while expecting to keep running at the bottom of it, with Obama proudly in the lead.

I guess (in your view), Michael, Romney is among millions of men who did not go to war during Vietnam, or after. I'm trying to grasp whether or not you resent anyone who did not get drafted for Vietnam? Were you in service at that time? If you have not served active duty, reserve, or national guard, I'd say you have no say in the matter. Now, also tell me if you have never changed your view on an issue. If not, then can we call you rigid, narrow in thought, and incapable of critical thinking?

“I think Sen. Santorum throughout the campaign has been speaking about issues that we care about very deeply,” Romney said. “So we’re on the same page on those issues, and I think you’ll see us all come together in a very powerful way,

Great, If he morphs into Sanatorium he can re-use all those negative campaign advertisements against himself.

Absolutely. This example is exactly the sort of thing that will help Americans beyond declared Republicans to unify against Obama. Obama can't run on his record anyway, he runs on fictitious issues like contraception, the war on women, race, and a do-nothing Congress.

Agreed - he can't run on producing more jobs in three years than Bush did he eight.

Despite the largest financial meltdown in 75 years............brought to you by 8 years of GOP financial malfeasance.

Nor can he run on the fact that the stock market has moved from 7,700 to 13,000

Or the fact that the American Auto industry still exists

Or that the average 401K has crawled back to where it was before being decimated by the Bush Administration

I guess (in your view), Michael, Romney is among millions of men who did not go to war during Vietnam, or after. I'm trying to grasp whether or not you resent anyone who did not get drafted for Vietnam?

Willard Weirdly is a warmonger.

It’s one thing to have never served and be pro-peace another to have never served AND want a war with Iran.

Is Romney out of his mind? Embracing Santorum in this way is about the same as sticking your hand back in the fire, again. The more Romney reaches out to the right, the weaker his coalition of support will get.

Romney campaigning with Santorum will make it impossible for Romney to fix the huge gap he has women voters who can’t stand him. Nothing says war on women like campaigning with a guy who will ban birth control and is against women working outside the home

Well put Virginia, I would rather someone change their mind, admit they made a mistake and go on from there. Actually, how many of our career politicians will ever admit they made a mistake and change their minds.

And you are right, millions of young men did not go into the military. There are other ways of serving our country. God Bless those who go into the military and especially now. I really wish war was not even in the world's vocabulary.

The two candidates are the same. Romney and Obama will both continue the "war on civil liberties" as well as any other war they feel like fighting or initiating for the benefit of their special interests.